


New Mexico Sunset

by lovecologist



Category: Breaking Bad
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining, just rly cute n short, this is gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-03-11 09:26:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13521345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovecologist/pseuds/lovecologist
Summary: Badger hasn’t seen an abundance of romance movies, but this seems like the kind of scenery that would fit right into one.





	New Mexico Sunset

“This is lame.”

Jesse’s curled up at the end of the couch, his knees drawn up to his chest and his arms wrapped around his shins. It makes him look somehow even smaller. Badger sprawls out next to him, reclined against the back of the sofa with his hands tucked away in the pockets of his hoodie. His head turns towards Jesse at the sound of his voice, nearly drowned out by the voices of the other party guests mingling with the music playing over the stereo.

“Yeah,” Badger agrees, absently scuffing the toe of his shoe against the rug underneath his feet.

“I’m gonna kick Emilio’s ass for bailing on us,” Jesse says, even though they both know there’s no way he’d have a chance in hell at winning that one. “He was supposed to bring the stuff. Now we just look like douchebags.”

Not that anyone is even paying attention to them, anyway. Anthony had managed to round up a couple six packs, and that’s been the party’s main attraction for the better part of the last hour. Badger’s been lingering around the outskirts most of the time he’s been there. Jesse is really the only person he knows too well here. Besides Anthony, but he’d disappeared into the crowd of only vaguely familiar faces a long time ago. He knows most if not all of the people here go to school with him, but that’s pretty much the extent of his knowledge.

“You wanna split?” Badger asks, gently nudging his elbow into Jesse’s side. “Or we could just go outside for a minute. Y’know, get some fresh air or something.”

The interior of Anthony’s house is starting to feel a little stuffy with body heat and cloying cigarette smoke, and the music is just starting to sound like noise now, buzzing around in Badger’s skull. And if he just wants to spend a little alone time with Jesse somewhere more peaceful, that’s no one’s business but his own. Jesse lifts his head from where he’d had it lolled back against the couch cushion behind him.

“Yeah, whatever. Not like we’re having any fun in here.” He stands with his half-empty beer bottle dangling from one hand, trailing behind Badger as they weave through the crowd towards the sliding doors that lead out to the back patio. Badger glances back over his shoulder a couple times just to make sure Jesse’s still following. Ever since his growth spurt in freshman year, Badger’s towered over almost everybody, but Jesse hadn’t gotten so lucky. It’d be easy to lose him in the masses.

Jesse grabs onto a handful of Badger’s hoodie, almost entirely unnoticed save for the tiny tug when he’d first reached out. It’s a subtle gesture, one that realistically means nothing other than the fact that Jesse wants to avoid getting shoved around too much, but it still makes Badger smile. As soon as Badger slides the patio door open, Jesse lets go. They walk a few feet out into Anthony’s backyard, then settle together in the grass.

The sun had set not too long ago, leaving the sky still streaked with hints of red and orange. Stars are peeking out now, peppered around a low-hanging crescent moon. Badger hasn’t seen an abundance of romance movies, but this seems like the kind of scenery that would fit right into one. Jesse’s sitting with his hands pressed into the grass to hold his body up as he leans back slightly, skinny legs stretched out in front of him, and Badger lets his hand settle next to one of Jesse’s, their little fingers just barely touching.

“How’s your aunt?” Badger asks just because he doesn’t really know what else to talk about. The silence between them is never quite awkward anymore, but he’d still rather talk than just sit there.

“Uh, she’s okay, I guess. That freakin’ opossum is still driving her up the wall,” Jesse answers. He lifts the hand that Badger’s almost touching to pick absently at the skin around his thumbnail as he speaks.

Badger nods and lets himself lean backwards until he’s laying in the grass, staring up at the stars. After a moment and without a word, Jesse lays down, too, and their hands are brushing up against one another again. There’s about a thousand things Badger wants to say, but he doesn’t. He doesn’t think he’s ever really been in love before, not until Jesse, and Jesse doesn’t even know. It’s not like Badger can just come right out and say it. They’ve got a good thing going, and he’d never forgive himself if he ruins it.

Jesse’s his best friend, has been for what feels like forever. They’re together more often than not, whether it’s because of school or just because they enjoy each other’s company, and Badger really doesn’t think he’d have an easy time completely restructuring his life if he says something to make Jesse not want to hang out with him anymore. That, and it’d make sitting next to each other in chemistry suffocatingly awkward.

But Jesse’s _right here_ , so close that Badger can feel his body heat and smell the hint of his aunt’s house that’s always clinging to his clothes, mixed with the subtlest hint of cigarette smoke and creating a scent that’s uniquely _Jesse_. It feels like being in an art museum, enraptured by the things there but unable to touch them, and it’s driving Badger crazy.

“I’m thinking about getting a tattoo,” Jesse remarks, cutting through Badger’s musings.

“Oh, yeah? Badass,” Badger replies, casual as anything like he hadn’t just been seconds away from an emotional breakdown.

“Yeah.” Jesse holds a hand up towards the sky. His fingers spread out a little, the stars filling in the gaps between them, and the sleeve of his jacket falls down a couple inches. “I saw this dope scorpion design in an ad for some tattoo place. I want it on my wrist.”

“That’s gonna look sweet.”

Jesse lets his hand fall back to its spot in the grass. It’s resting practically on top of Badger’s now. Badger can hear his own heart beating, and his palm is slick with a bit of nervous sweat, but he still wriggles his hand a little further underneath Jesse’s. Slowly, he can feel Jesse’s fingers curling, wrapping around Badger’s. His heart is about the closest it can get to beating out of his chest, but still, he keeps his mouth shut. Scaring Jesse away is the last thing he wants.

They lay in silence for a while, broken only by the sound of chirping insects. The peace stretches on long enough for Badger’s nerves to soothe themselves just slightly. His hand slowly turns over so that his palm is flush against Jesse’s, and their fingers slot together. Badger finally works up the courage to look, turning his head to take in the familiar details of Jesse’s face. It takes a second or two, but then there’s a rustling of grass as Jesse shifts to meet Badger’s gaze. Even in the dim light, his eyes still look stunningly blue.

“Jess … ” Badger’s voice sounds unnaturally loud in contrast to the quiet, despite the fact that he’s practically whispering. He exhales softly through his nose, pausing for a moment while he gives himself some time to think.

Jesse’s still looking at him, those big bright eyes trained evenly on his face. Badger darts his tongue out over his own bottom lip, then takes a deep breath and just leans in. His eyes are squeezed shut, and the kiss is stiff, uncertain. It’s just a brief peck, and Badger’s pulling away again, but he doesn’t get very far. He stops, his eyes fluttering open again to gauge Jesse’s reaction. Jesse’s eyes are still shut, his lips slightly parted, and there’s a faint tint of pink to his cheeks.

When Badger closes the distance again, Jesse reciprocates, his mouth soft and pliant as Badger kisses him. They drift apart slowly this time. Jesse exhales, his breath ghosting over Badger’s face and making his skin tingle. He sits up and Badger follows, reaching over to brush some dead grass from the back of Jesse’s jacket.

“You wanna stay the night with me?” Jesse asks, crossing his legs and clasping his hands in his lap. He looks hopeful, almost like he’s expecting Badger to turn him down. “Aunt Ginny won’t care, long as we don’t wake her up.”

Jesse barely gets his sentence out before Badger’s leaning over for a wet kiss on the cheek, grinning against Jesse’s skin.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on tumblr @tittypetes !


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